Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Of early ecclesiastical origin, and situated on a broad low hill. The church is a rectangular structure (int. dims 14.55m WNW-ESE; 5.6m NNE-SSW) defined by fragmentary sections of an ivy-covered cyclopean masonry walls (T 0.8m; max. H 3.2m). The church is featureless, apart from a destroyed entrance (Wth 1.9m) towards the N end of the W wall, and a window obscured by ivy in the complete E gable. It is within a subrectangular grass-covered enclosure (RO041-041004-) (dims 50m E-W; c. 44m N-S) which may have been a graveyard as there is local knowledge of burials (RO041-041005-) being found. The rectangular enclosure is defined by slight scarps on all sides, except the E which is formed by the bank of a large circular ecclesiastical enclosure (RO041-041002-) (diam. 100m NE-SW; 90m NW-SE) which surrounds the church. The large enclosure is defined by a complete but slight earthen bank (Wth 6-8m; int. H 0.2-0.6m; ext. H 0.3-0.5m), with a drystone wall on top of it SE-W-NW. The entrance (Wth 4.5m) is at ENE, and an enclosure or annexe (RO041-040003-) which is a D-shaped grass-covered area (dims 49m N-S; 37m E-W) defined by an earthen bank (Wth 5.5-10m; int. H 0.2m; ext. H 0.4-0.6m) is attached to the NE. A fragment of a disc quern (RO041-131001-) decorated with interlace, and a fragment of a millstone (RO041-131002-) that were found at the site are now at a nearby house.

See the attached aerial images taken from the S (001) and NW (025)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 24 August 2010